The Easiest Things
by Gysecune
Summary: It's been a while since Baralai's played the piano. Gippalai drabble.


Disclaimer: I don't Final Fantasy X-2 or its respective characters.

A/N: I've had this idea for a long time and wanted to do something with it. 800 word Gippalai drabble, peeps.

The Easiest Things

Baralai plays the piano in a way that Gippal's never seen come alive in anyone else.

It's kind of funny, Gippal figures, because Baralai doesn't have the hands of a piano player at all. His fingers have to reach a bit farther, move a bit faster, to hit the right notes at the right times. Yet, he would never have it any other way. He can't imagine Baralai playing differently. Those movements are imprinted in his mind.

He can't imagine Baralai's hands fitting any differently into his own, either, and he doesn't want to.

But the thought of Baralai playing piano is just that. A thought. Because he hadn't played the piano since what everyone had taken to calling the "incident." Baralai had confided in him that the memories of being possessed and hurting people he cared about were too fresh to go _near_ a piano. Or anything that even remotely resembled the instrument he had been forced to play, for that matter.

So it's odd to wake up in Baralai's bed and assume that the lovely sounds he hears are from him. Still, who else would have the guts to play an Al Bhed hymn in Bevelle Temple?

His lips curl into a grin. He loves Baralai for that.

The curiosity of the whole matter is getting to him, and besides that, he needs to find Baralai. Where he normally would lie, there's only a patch of light shining on the sheets. Gippal isn't a morning person, but he knows that mornings are more bearable with Baralai.

For him, he swings his legs over the bed and tugs his pants on. That's the least he could do. Oh, and put his eye patch on.

It's early enough that not many people are out in the halls, but the ones who are give him strange looks. He envisions that if there were more, they'd be whispering among themselves about how shameless he was being.

Baralai could turn anyone shameless. Didn't they know?

At last, he's at the source of the music. The only thing that's keeping him is the door. For a second, he stares at it. He'll go in quietly, so as not to startle Baralai. Anything to keep him playing so wonderfully.

He can barely contain a gasp as he pushes open the door. Baralai has his back turned to him, apparently oblivious to Gippal's presence as his fingers continue to dance across the keys. Morning light splashes onto the piano, illuminating Baralai, who glows with an ethereal beauty.

Gippal knows he has missed this, but seeing it again reminds him just how much. It takes him awhile to realize it, but he has been drawing closer. He's now a few feet away from Baralai, and the other man hasn't discovered it yet.

Finally, Baralai sits silently, gazing at his hands, having ended the song.

"That was really good," Gippal breathes.

Baralai's contemplative stance changes entirely as he whirls around, crashing on the keys. "Gippal?!"

"Yeah." He can't contain his amusement at Baralai's surprise. It is, without a doubt, extremely cute. "You haven't played in a long time. I missed it."

Relaxing, Baralai smiles slowly. "Sometimes the easiest things are the hardest to do. I guess I missed it, too."

"The easiest things?" Gippal repeats in disbelief. "How is that _easy_?"

Baralai chuckles, beckoning Gippal to sit beside him on the bench. "Come here. I'll show you."

So Gippal does – reluctantly, but he does. Baralai splays his hands on top of Gippal's, lining their fingers together. Gippal finds his moving to sound out a note at Baralai's light motions. And another. And yet another.

Baralai's hands look very soft, and they are – on the top. Few have felt the calluses caused by wielding a weapon, by participating in struggles for survival. But Gippal has, and he relishes this roughness brushing against his skin.

"I told you it wasn't so hard."

"That's because _you_ were the one really playing," Gippal insists, laughing faintly. "You've just been doing it for so long. People would rather hear _breaking glass_ than music I make."

"I've heard you sing," Baralai reminds him, seemingly amused.

"Agh. I regret putting you through that – Wait." He stops, suddenly catching on. "That song you were playing... Didn't I sing that to you once before?"

"Yes," Baralai replies simply.

"That song..." Gippal murmurs, remembering. He can tell that Baralai is observing his reaction. "Why that song?"

The silence hangs between them, and Gippal gets the feeling that he's about to hear something Baralai has never told anyone else. He understands things unspoken, no interpretation needed.

"Because, Gippal..." His eyelashes, glinting with light, skirt against his skin. Lips parting, he at last delivers the answer that has, for so long, been his secret.

"That song reminds me of you."


End file.
